Earth Care as Self-Care
- Bethany Bertapelle, LMSW
- Apr 22
- 4 min read
Recently I’ve become obsessed with trash. Hear me out.
Every morning I go for a walk with my dog. And every spring I watch the snow melt and reveal the bits of trash, cigarette butts, and piles of dog waste that have accumulated over the winter. After years of just feeling annoyed by this sight, it finally occurred to me that I could do something about it. I started by picking up just one thing on each walk. And then a couple things on each walk. Eventually, I ended up collaborating with the Parks Department to set up a volunteer clean-up day at my local park. And now I walk around parks scanning for areas for my next clean-up.
I didn’t expect it, but this practice has become quite therapeutic. I feel a bit more empowered and connected to my community. My walks through my neighborhood and local parks have become more enjoyable because there’s less trash laying around. And when I do see a bit of trash, now it’s like a (sometimes smelly, sometimes gross, but always satisfying) Easter egg hunt! This tangible contribution has given me a sense of responsibility for what I’m bringing into the world. It has led me to reflect on the kind of person I want to be in a world that sometimes inspires awe and sometimes feels like a dumpster fire.
During the hours I’ve recently spent picking up trash and listening to the new Hunger Games audiobook (so good!), I’ve been thinking about how our care of the natural world affects our mental health. Here are a few points that came to mind:
Healthy Control
Healthy control focuses our energy on a positive goal that is personally meaningful. It accepts that there will always be things we cannot control, and it pushes us to take action on the things we can control (or at least influence). Pursuing healthy control can help us persevere in the face of daunting odds and build grit and determination. Healthy control affirms that, even if you can only do a little bit to solve a larger problem, the bit you can do matters. It acknowledges the ripple effects of our acts of kindness, service, and compassion. Including the ripples that impact our own mental health and sense of who we are.
Positive Connection to Community
Healthy control involves taking responsibility for what we are contributing to our community and our relationships. Happiness researchers find again and again that the extent to which we feel connected or disconnected to the people around us is a major factor in our level of happiness and satisfaction with our lives. Think about a time when you were part of a group you loved and you did something for that group to show how much it meant to you. You may have noticed you felt good about yourself and felt a sense of belonging and purpose. Rather than thinking “Someone else will take care of it”, positive connection to our communities invites us to be leaders and to affirm “I will be part of taking care of it”. Whether you do something for the natural world on your own or as part of a group effort, you are showing love and commitment to our shared home and to your community.
Dare to Care
We all live on this planet and we all have a pretty compelling interest in taking care of it. (There’s no Planet B, folks!) In the face of widespread problems like climate change and mass pollution, it is very easy to get overwhelmed, respond frantically, numb out, or stop caring. We need compassionate, sustainable, and empowering ways to remain engaged in our world. Indifference is like a wildfire; once it gets going, it will spread to other areas of our lives and eat away at our sense of purpose and meaning. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches us to acknowledge mental noise, including thoughts of hopelessness and burnout, without letting those thoughts control our decisions. In ACT, we focus on identifying what we care about most and then we take brave steps toward those things. This is why ACT is my favorite form of therapy. It dares us to care and to let our actions show it.
If you find these reasons compelling, here are a few ideas for increasing your sense of connection to the natural world around you! See if one of these speaks to you and give it a try:
Check out the area around your home or workplace. If you notice some litter, see how many bits you can clean up. How does it feel to look back at that spot and know you helped take care of it?
Take a walk through your neighborhood or your local park. See how many animals you can spot. Consider how it feels to call each of these animals your neighbor. How do you want to treat this space that is home to so many creatures?
If you see other people during your walk, think about the natural spaces we have designated to share with one another (like parks). Think about what it means to share and enjoy a space with others.
If you have the time/energy and are interested in teaming up with other volunteers to help care for your local natural spaces, use the links below to learn more and sign up for an event that interests you.
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